Ageless
by Lance the Dragon Master
Summary: Years after a terrible war that wiped out the human race, the council of legendary pokemon, called the Ageless, vote in order to decide the fate of Mewtwo, a pokemon born from the genetic code of an Ageless pokemon and from human science. This is the story of living in a world of legends and myths and where not everything is what it seems.
1. Prologue

"Bring the accused forward!" a voice booms across the hall.

A lone pokemon stands tall and walks forward down a long and crystalline hallway. Mewtwo, called the accused, takes notice of his surroundings for the first time. _I have been around the world in my travels, _he thinks to himself, _but I have never seen a place like this. _Indeed, there have been only a few beings that have ever been inside the sacred space of the Hall of Origin. The floor is made of crystal tiles that seem to shine with pure and golden light, filling those who see it with a sense of awe. Lining the hall itself are tall pillars made from white marble so pristine that they seem to have been carved from the light of a star. Standing among the pillars, Mewtwo sees the forms of the rest of the legendary pokemon. Some he knows personally while others he has only heard of through myth. Others still, he has only seen in his dreams.

Mewtwo looks at all the legends that stand around him. Some look at him with fear, not of his destructive power, but for his safety. Others look at him with hate in their eyes. _They are the reason I am here, _Mewtwo realizes. Their stares tell him that he does not belong here. They wish him to be gone. Mewtwo's eyes never stay on a single pokemon for more than an instant. He continues down the hallway, ready to face the master of the Hall. However, right before he reaches the end, he sees one more pokemon. Her face is so familiar to him because he was made from her. _Mew¸_ he almost says aloud and momentarily stops walking.

Mew, ancestor to all mortal pokemon and mother to Mewtwo himself, floats telekinetically near the end of the hall, right before the crystal stairs that lead up to where the Creator stands. She looks at her son with tears building in her eyes.

_Mewtwo, _she speaks with her telepathy, _I'm so scared._

_It will be alright, _he responds with his own power. In this world without the people that made him, Mewtwo's only remaining family is Mew. They look at each other for a few more seconds, then Mewtwo keeps walking until he reaches the foot of the stairs. He does not set foot upon this staircase as no one other than the Creator is allowed to walk upon them. Mewtwo looks up at the seemingly infinite staircase, staring into the eyes of the world's shaper. Using his telepathic power, Mewtwo communicates with everyone in the Hall of Origin.

"I am here!" Mewtwo's voice fills the hall. "Tell me why I am here and what I am accused of!"

A light pours forth from the top of the staircase and the silhouette of the Creator, Arceus, is seen standing above all of creation.

"Mewtwo," Arceus speaks with its powerful voice, "you have been accused of harboring the will of humanity within your heart. This goes against our laws as the will of humanity brings great harm upon our world. Humanity was a plague on the world that I created and I will not allow any creature to bring back that plague."

Mewtwo knows why he is here. Many years ago, humanity ruled over the world of pokemon. They captured pokemon and made them battle one another, and put them to work while the humans themselves sat back and watched in order to entertain themselves. After a while, the legendary pokemon, called the Ageless, finally acted in order to put an end to humanity's conquest of the pokemon world.

The war was great and terrible, each side fighting with bullets and bombs and with claws and fangs, until one day the war ended in the complete genocide of the human race. Even with all of its technology, humanity could not defeat the Ageless pokemon. Everything that was even remotely human was destroyed after the war. Entire cities were burned down and manmade structures were reduced to rubble. Even pokemon that were created due to the effects of humanity were wiped out. Pokemon like Voltorb and Magnemite, modeled after human technology, and Grimer and Trubbish, born from human pollution, were totally destroyed. As a result of this genocide, Mewtwo now stands as the final remnant of humanity before the Ageless pokemon in the Hall of Origin. The only reason that he is still alive is because a part of him is still Ageless as he was created from the genetic code of Mew.

"You have heard of your crime, Mewtwo." Arceus continues. "What have you to say in your defense?"

"I may have been created due to humanity's science, but my heart and my will are my own. The circumstances of my birth do not influence my behavior."

The hallway erupts with angry screams and roars from various Ageless pokemon. They shout for Mewtwo's execution, while others plead for his freedom. Opinion over Mewtwo's fate is divided.

"My role in this universe is to create," Arceus addresses the Hall, "but I will not hesitate to destroy if it is deemed necessary. However, I will not make this decision alone. Ageless pokemon that stand before me, hear my words! _You_ will make the decision regarding Mewtwo's future!"

Arceus then directs its words back to Mewtwo, "Mewtwo, while the Ageless pokemon deliberate, you will wait in the World in Between."

Mewtwo suddenly feels his body fading away as he is transported to another place. Before he leaves, he looks back one last time at the face of his mother. She has already made her choice and smiles sadly as her son fades into nothingness.


	2. A Story Between Stories

Mewtwo feels his body being torn apart then pieced back together bit by bit. He has teleported before, but never like this. There is pain here. A deep and heavy pain. Once the feeling fades away, Mewtwo looks around and notices his new surroundings. He is definitely not in the Hall of Origin anymore. There is a contrast to this place so definitive that it almost looks like a dream.

From Mewtwo's point of view, the left half of this new world is filled entirely with light and color. Warm and pleasant sunlight shines among the trees that bear fruit that sparkle like gems. The grass is such a brilliant shade of green, it looks as if it is made of emerald. However, the right side of the world is the complete opposite. The world is cold and lightless, yet Mewtwo can still see the outlines of the dead trees. The ground is made up of earth and ash and dust and the sky is a pale gray. On both sides of the world, there is silence.

_Where am I?_ Mewtwo wonders.

A voice is heard. "You are in the World in Between."

Mewtwo turns to his left where the world is warm and sees a beautiful creature walking toward him. It is a stag, tall and proud. Most of its lower body is covered in black fur, but its upper body is a deep blue. On its head are eight antlers with gems of every color woven into them. It exudes a gentle aura.

"The world between what?" Mewtwo asks.

"The World in Between everything," another voice answers.

This time, Mewtwo turns to his right, looking into the cold world. At first he sees nothing, but then makes out the form of a massive eagle perched on the branches of a dead tree. It is a terrifying sight. It is covered in feathers the color of freshly spilt blood. Black markings adorn the center of its wings and body and scythe-like claws are seen on its wings and tail. This one gives off a sinister aura.

"This is the place where the choice is made," the eagle continues.

"What choice?" Mewtwo asks the eagle.

"The final choice."

The eagle looks at Mewtwo with hungry eyes. It has been so long since it last ate an Ageless…

"I know who you are and you do not frighten me!" Mewtwo shouts. In his hands, a sphere of energy starts to form. He will fight these pokemon if necessary.

"Oh, look." The eagle laughs. "The kitten wants to play. But you cannot stand against us, kitten. We are eternity."

Mewtwo knows that the eagle is right. He can sense the countless years in these two pokemon. To them, even his great power is nothing.

"Young one, be calm," the stag says with its soothing voice. "We mean you no harm."

Mewtwo's Aura Sphere fades away, but he does not let his guard down.

"Why am I here?" Mewtwo demands.

"You are here because the choice is being made." The stag answers. "The Ageless are debating on whether you will live or die."

"However, in the end, it is all the same to us." The eagle says next. "Eventually, everything dies."

Mewtwo feels a bit unnerved by this statement so he decides to change the subject.

"If the Ageless are debating, then why are you here? Should you not be in the Hall of Origin, as well?"

"I thought it would be obvious, young one," the stag begins. "If the choice is between life and death, then we have already made our choice."

"But you have a choice in this as well, kitten," the eagle tells him. "If you want to end it all, just step over to my side. It will be painless."

Even in the darkness, Mewtwo can tell that the eagle is wearing a malevolent grin. It is hungry…

"I will not give myself over to you. My time has not yet come." Mewtwo answers.

"You never know, kitten. As we speak, the Ageless might have made the decision to kill you. And I promise you, that will _not _be painless."

Mewtwo wonders about that. Will the other legendary pokemon really put him to death? He knows that he has made enemies among them. Some of them still wear the scars that Mewtwo inflicted upon them. However, most of them he has not even met.

And Mew. He cannot stop thinking about her. Mewtwo was created to be merciless, but even humanity's science could not completely shut his heart. He loves Mew. She is all he has left. He thinks about his mother and the thought gives him hope.

"I will live" Mewtwo declares.

And at that time, the World in Between begins to fade away.

"The choice has been made, young one." The stag says. "Live your life."

"But don't think you've seen the last of us." The eagle says in a voice barely louder than a whisper. "Remember. Eventually, everything dies."


	3. Chapter 1

The World in Between is usually not a place that many ever come back from. It is meant to serve as a passage into an existence beyond life. For Mewtwo, the return to life is complicated, to say the least.

All sense is taken from him. He cannot see or hear anything beyond his own thoughts. Nothing is felt around him; the air is neither warm nor cool. It simply _isn't_. Nothing exists in that state. Mewtwo thinks it impossible that the world could be this dark and silent, but after what seems like an eternity in that limbo, the world comes rushing back.

The first thing he experiences is the feeling of dirt and gravel beneath his body. He is lying face down somewhere outdoors. Then comes the smell; the air is acrid and pungent and it burns his lungs. After the scent comes the heat, intense and hateful. The sounds come next; the roar of fire and the cries of those consumed by it. Finally, Mewtwo opens his eyes, and sees the hell around him. There is a blaze destroying everything around him.

_Where am I? What is happening here?_

Mewtwo stands and gets a better look at his surroundings. He is in the middle of a burning forest, but he does not know how he got there. He decides to figure that out later as he must save himself before he is killed by the flames.

Focusing his psychic power, Mewtwo casts a telekinetic net around the entire forest and in the span of a heartbeat, he extinguishes the fire with ease. The effort leaves him drained, but it only takes him seconds to recuperate. With the immediate threat gone, Mewtwo decides to investigate his surroundings.

_What happened to this forest? And how did I get here?_

He tries to remember, but all he sees are vague images of an azure stag and a crimson eagle along with the words, "_everything dies…"_

As he walks among the ruins of the forest, Mewtwo notices the remains of pokemon habitats. Empty burrows and broken nests are seen throughout the forest. So many lives were destroyed in the fire.

He continues walking along when he hears something nearby. It is a soft cry and some rustling among the fallen branches. Mewtwo quickly goes over to investigate and finds a young female cat pokemon; a Meowth. The Meowth is barely conscious and covered in ash and dirt. The golden charm on her forehead has broken in half. Mewtwo crouches to get a better look at the pokemon. She is hurt, but not fatally.

"Are you alright?" he asks as gently as he can.

The young Meowth opens her eyes and upon seeing Mewtwo, immediately starts screaming hysterically.

"Get away from me! Somebody help!"

She struggles against the branches that are pinning her down, but finds that she is too weak to free herself. She begins to cry in fear.

"Please, don't hurt me. I didn't do anything." she says to Mewtwo, with eyes full of fear.

"I'm not here to hurt you." Mewtwo replies as gently as he can. "Here, let me help you."

He clears away the debris that pinned the Meowth down, allowing her to move.

"Tell me what happened to this forest." Mewtwo tells her.

But the young Meowth, says nothing. She continues to look at him with fear, but also with what seems to be anger.

"Is that supposed to be some kind of joke?" she asks.

"What do you mean?" Mewtwo asks, confused.

"Seriously, is this what you Ageless pokemon do? Or is this the humanity in you coming out?"

As she speaks, her voice grows more and more accusatory.

"What are you talking about?" Mewtwo demands, slightly more forceful than he had intended.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" she screams at him. "You did this!"

Mewtwo stands, towering over her. She instantly cowers beneath him, afraid for her life. Tears stream down her face. Mewtwo is about to ask her to explain, but something else is heard. Heavy footsteps cause the forest floor to tremble.

_What is that? _

Mewtwo turns toward the direction of the sound and sees a shadow walking toward him. As the shadow gets closer, Mewtwo sees that it is actually three shadows. Three massive creatures make their way through the remains of the forest, heading straight toward Mewtwo.

"Mewtwo!" a mechanical voice cries out. "You have broken the laws of the Ageless! For this, you must be destroyed!"

Suddenly, a massive boulder comes flying at Mewtwo. In an instant, he summons a protective barrier that shields him from harm.

As the creatures continue their advance, Mewtwo finally sees what they are. They are the golems of Hoenn; Regirock, Regice and Registeel. Regirock was the one that fired the boulder and now Regice attacks with an Icy Wind, freezing everything in its path. Mewtwo then redirects the ice and turns it against the golems with his Psychic attack.

Mewtwo begins to feel the adrenaline that comes with a fierce battle and a twisted sort of joy washes over him. He lives to fight. It is why he was made…

The golems quickly shake off the attack and the three of them charge their power and fire powerful Hyper Beams. Once again, Mewtwo summons his barrier and repels the attacks, then counters with his Aura Sphere, hitting all three assailants for massive damage. The legendary golems fall before the might of Mewtwo.

"You say I have broken the laws of the Ageless, but I have done no such thing!" Mewtwo declares. "Why are you hunting me?"

The golems slowly stand back up.

"You are bringing back the will of humanity," they speak in unison. "It was the humans that destroyed the forests to make room for their civilizations. Today, you destroyed this forest with your power. The Ageless have decided to eliminate you before you bring more harm to the world."

"But I had nothing to do with this!" Mewtwo shouts, but then he turns to the young Meowth. "Did I?"

She does not answer him, but keeps looking at him, frightened.

"Accept your punishment!" the golems scream. They charge up for another Hyper Beam when a bright light appears between them and Mewtwo.

_What now? _Mewtwo wonders, shielding his eyes from the light.

A small figure materializes in the light, hovering in midair.

"You dare disturb my forest?!" the small figure demands. It is speaking to the golems.

"We have been instructed to destroy Mewtwo. Leave us to our task."

"You will do nothing of the sort in my domain! As long as he remains in my forest, Mewtwo is under my protection!"

And with those words, a warm light surrounds Mewtwo and again, he feels himself being teleported away to another place and another time. Maybe here, Mewtwo can find the answers that he is looking for.


	4. Chapter 2

Once again, Mewtwo finds himself being teleported to a faraway place. This time, however, is much more different than before. A warm light envelops his body and he sees images rush over him. Some images are familiar and some seem ancient, as if he is looking into the memories of the universe itself. Eventually, the images become solid and Mewtwo sees that he has arrived at his new destination. A feeling of nostalgia washes over him, although he cannot recall ever being here before.

He stands at the edge of a forest, green with life and hope. The air is crisp and fresh and the sunlight is pleasantly warm. Somehow, this place makes Mewtwo feel younger.

"Mewtwo, it's been a long time. How have you been?" a soft voice says to him.

Mewtwo turns and sees the figure that teleported him. It is the time travelling pokemon, Celebi. A gentle smile appears on her face.

"Celebi," Mewtwo says. So many things rush to mind; so many questions he wants to ask. But first, all he says is, "Hello."

The small time traveler floats over to him, still smiling.

"Mewtwo," she tells him, "you're safe now. No one will hurt you here."

Mewtwo looks around again and asks, "Where are we? Have we gone far?"

The small fairy-like pokemon lets out a small laugh.

"Well, yes and no. We have travelled far, but we are still in the same place. This is still my forest, however, we have gone back thousands of years."

It makes sense. This explains why the area seems vaguely familiar.

"Wait!" a new voice cries out. "You mean we travelled back in time?"

Mewtwo and Celebi both turn and see the young Meowth. She was accidentally teleported as well.

"Oh, my, I didn't even notice you there." Celebi tells the young pokemon. "I'll take you back home."

"No, wait," the young pokemon says, "before you send me back, I have something to say." She looks at Mewtwo with anger. "You said that the forest is your domain, but Mewtwo was the one that destroyed it! He took many innocent lives, I saw it myself! You can't possibly protect him! You should have let those golems take him!"

Mewtwo feels his anger rising at the young pokemon. He wants to say something, but knows that he should not lose his temper in front of Celebi. Instead, Celebi is the one that speaks.

"Child," she begins, "I know that you lost your home in that fire, but I believe that Mewtwo is innocent in all of this."

The young Meowth makes an angry and confused face. "What, are you saying that I'm lying? Just because I'm not a legendary pokemon like you, my words don't matter?"

Celebi remains calm throughout the transaction and Mewtwo stays quiet. If Celebi knows what really happened, he wants to hear it.

"Both of you, listen to me," Celebi speaks to Mewtwo and the young Meowth. "I am a time traveler tasked with caring for forests throughout time, however, something happened to that forest that even I cannot explain. The moment of the forest's destruction has been erased from history, almost as if somebody purposely destroyed it to hide any evidence to their involvement."

Celebi turns to the young Meowth.

"Think carefully now, child. You say that you saw Mewtwo attacking your home, but really think about it. Do you remember any specifics about the ordeal?"

The young Meowth opens her mouth to speak, but then says nothing as the realization hits her. She really cannot remember anything.

"Celebi," Mewtwo says, breaking his silence, "what do you mean that someone erased a part of history? Can't you simply travel in time to that moment and find out what happened?"

"It's not that simple." Celebi answers. "I cannot travel wherever I wish. Time travel isn't the magical act you imagine; there are rules as to where I can and cannot go. I can only travel to moments that are alive in the memories of the world. If a moment has been forgotten, then it is lost to me. It's like trying to enter a house with no doors or windows."

"Then you're saying that someone is powerful enough to erase an entire moment from time?" the young Meowth says, incredulously. "Who can possibly do that?"

"Many." Celebi simply answers.

Mewtwo, on the other hand, is thinking about something else at this point.

_Someone destroyed that forest and placed me there to make me seem like the culprit. Who could have done this?_

Mewtwo has many enemies among the Ageless. He fought them in their war against the humans…

"Celebi, where are the rest of the Ageless?" Mewtwo asks. "Are they all still in the Hall of Origin?"

Celebi looks at him with deep confusion.

"Why would they be in the Hall of Origin?"

"Were they not debating on what my future would be?"

Then, a look of worry and fear comes over her as she figures it out.

"Mewtwo, a year has passed since the Ageless held their debate. Do you not remember any of it?"

Mewtwo is stunned silent. _A year has passed?!_

"What are you talking about? How could it have been a year? It couldn't have been more than a few hours!"

Both Celebi and the young Meowth back away a bit in fear of Mewtwo's anger.

"Mewtwo, please listen to me. I was there that day. I fought on your behalf. We saved you on that day. A year has passed since then."

Mewtwo cannot believe it. An entire year has been erased from his memories. Somebody powerful is out to destroy him, but who could it be?

"I cannot remain here!" Mewtwo shouts. "Celebi, take me back to my own time! I must figure out what is happening!"

"No, I can't do that. After everything that's happened, I can't let you go back. You'll be killed." Celebi says with worry.

"Are you talking about those golems? I can easily defeat them. I am stronger than them by far."

"You are stronger, but that's not the point," Celebi explains. "You can fight them and you can defeat them a thousand times, but you'll never destroy them. Regice, Regirock and Registeel were created by humans, so in the war against humanity, Arceus tried to get rid of them, but even the great power of the Creator could not erase these beings. The word of Life was inscribed on them by humans who knew the secret knowledge of the world. They are truly immortal. You will die trying to fight them."

Mewtwo is at a loss for words. How can he fight against these immortal pokemon?

"I will do everything in my power to figure out what happened," Celebi continues, "but in the meantime, I want you to remain here where you will be safe."

Everyone remains silent as they think about the situation, but then, the moment is disturbed by a familiar sound. Heavy footsteps are heard from somewhere beyond the forest.

"No." Celebi whispers in horror. "It can't be."

Trees are easily pushed aside as three massive pokemon make their way toward Mewtwo, Celebi and the young Meowth.

"Mewtwo, for your crimes against the Ageless, you must be destroyed!" cry the mechanical voices of Regice, Regirock and Registeel.

"How did they find us?!" Mewtwo screams. "They can't travel through time!"

Celebi does not get a chance to say anything as an Ice Beam launched by Regice hits her, sending her crashing into the trees.

"Celebi!" Mewtwo screams. His anger flares and his psychic power maximizes.

The three golems fire the Hyper Beam attacks simultaneously, leveling a big part of the forest. The young Meowth holds herself and cries as the battle ensues. She has seen too much destruction and is terrified for her life. But as the smoke clears, she sees that Mewtwo is standing in front of her, holding a barrier in place that has shielded her.

"Are you alright?" Mewtwo asks.

The young Meowth remains silent. Mewtwo has just saved her life.

"Your struggle is useless!" the golems cry out. "You cannot escape us! You will die!"

Suddenly, a light is seen coming from deep inside the forest. Celebi is shining brightly.

"I warned you against hurting Mewtwo while he was under my protection! Now you will suffer for what you have done!"

Celebi is brimming with power that rivals even Mewtwo's.

"We are immortal!" the golems announce. "What can you possibly do to us?"

The world begins to twist and distort around the golems as they are affected by Celebi's power.

"I will make sure that you suffer for all eternity!"

Regice, Regirock and Registeel are sent far, _far, _into the future, past the age of the stars and galaxies, where the universe is cold and silent. They have been sent into the end of all existence where suns and worlds have fallen apart.

The golems feel themselves being pulled apart by the void, becoming a part of it, and at the same time, feeling the pain of emptiness and eternity. They will never be whole again.

Celebi gasps for breath. She has never done something like that before and it has drained a lot of her power, but for the time being, things are once again calm and safe in the young forest.


	5. Chapter 3

_(Author's note: Hey there, readers! Thanks a lot for reading up this point. I've reached about halfway through the story so I hope you guys like it so far. I'm trying to revolve this story around legendary pokemon, but since there are so many, I won't be able to fit them all in here, so if I miss one of your favorites, I apologize. Hopefully, you still like it! Thanks for reading!)_

* * *

In the young forest of a young earth, Celebi has used her vast powers to defeat the legendary golem trio, Regice, Regirock and Registeel. She collapses, breathing heavily in exhaustion.

"Celebi, are you alright?" Mewtwo asks with worry.

"I'll be fine," she answers. "Just let me rest awhile."

"That was amazing." The young Meowth says in awe. "You sent them to the end of the universe."

Celebi manages a weak smile. "It's not something I do a lot."

In the quiet of the forest, the three pokemon decide on their next move.

"I don't know how, but those pokemon were able to follow us into the past." Celebi explains. "I thought I could keep you safe here, but it seems that I was naïve to think that no one would chase us here."

"Then you have to take me back to my own time." Mewtwo tells her. "I have to find out the truth about what really happened to me. Who would erase a year's worth of my memories and then frame me by destroying an entire forest?"

Celebi agrees. Both of them need answers.

"Hello? Aren't you forgetting about me? Don't I have a say in this?" the young Meowth speaks up.

Both Ageless pokemon turn to her.

"Of course I haven't forgotten about you." Celebi says reassuringly. "I'll take you back home soon."

"No, that's not what I meant. I mean, my home was in that forest that someone destroyed and if you two are going to find out what happened, then I want to come along."

"I cannot allow that." Mewtwo tells her. "Powerful beings will be chasing me. It will be too dangerous for you. Besides, I thought you had a grudge against me."

The young Meowth looks away, looking a little ashamed.

"I'm…sorry. I thought that you were the one that burned my home and killed my family, but if Celebi, the guardian of the forest, says that you are innocent, then I believe her. Plus, you saved my life when those golems attacked us. I was wrong about you. There's good in you."

Everyone remains quiet for a moment, thinking about what to do. Celebi is the first to speak. She turns to the young Meowth.

"The way will be difficult, child. Are you sure you want to do this?"

And the young pokemon looks into eyes of the Ageless.

"Yes."

"Very well." Mewtwo consents. "From now on you will travel with me, young one."

"Mia." The young Meowth says.

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Mia." The pokemon repeats.

A slight smile appears on Mewtwo's face. He cannot remember the last time he smiled.

"Well then, Mia, are you ready to go?"

"Yes! Let's go!" she answers excitedly.

"Then let us return to our time." Celebi says.

The time traveler uses her power and once again, the three find themselves teleporting and looking into the memories of the world. Eventually, they all arrive in the ruins of a forest.

"Here we are." Celebi tells them.

Mewtwo looks at the burned forest around him. _Someone did this to the pokemon here. I will not let them get away with this._

"Well, what do we do now?" Mia asks.

"We have to find another Ageless pokemon." Mewtwo tells her. "Maybe we can find some answers with them."

"Then let me suggest you travel north of here. If you are not aware, you are currently in the Ilex Forest of Johto. To the north, you will find the remains of Ecruteak City. It's possible that you may find the legendary pokemon, Ho-Oh and Lugia."

Mewtwo tenses up for a moment. If he does meet with Ho-Oh, it will not end well. The last time they met, Mewtwo left a scar on the legendary bird.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Mia says with enthusiasm. "Let's go already!"

"Wait," Celebi says, "before you go, let me say one more thing. Mewtwo, you are on a dangerous path here. The Ageless pokemon have decided to put you to death. You will be hunted and outside the forest, I cannot protect you."

"I appreciate your concern, but remember that I am strong. I can fend for myself." Mewtwo answers with confidence.

"Then good luck on your journey. Before this is over, we will meet once more."

With that said, a gentle light surrounds Celebi and she vanishes back into history.

"It looks like we're on our own now." Mewtwo tells Mia. "Ready?"

"Yeah! I'm ready!"

"Then close your eyes."

The young Meowth closes her eyes and Mewtwo uses his power. He reaches into his memories and remembers the old town of Ecruteak, where the Brass and Tin Towers once stood. In a flash of light, they leave the Ilex Forest and arrive at the edge of Ecruteak.

"We're here." Mewtwo says.

Mia opens her eyes and sees her surroundings. There is a large clearing in the center of a small wood. Autumn leaves line the ground, making the place seem wise and peaceful. However, Mewtwo remains on guard.

"This is Ecruteak?" Mia asks.

"Yes," Mewtwo answers, "rather, it used to be. Ecruteak was what humans called this place. Now that humanity is dead, this place has no name."

Both Mewtwo and Mia walk into the clearing. Everything is quiet for the moment.

"Oh, look!" Mia exclaims happily, pointing up at the sky. "A rainbow!"

_Oh, no…_

"Mia, hide!" Mewtwo orders her.

"What? Why?" she asks in confusion.

Before Mewtwo has a chance to answer, a blast of fire shoots from the sky heading straight for them. Mewtwo raises his barrier and shields himself and Mia, but the effort quickly drains him. This is not ordinary fire.

"Mewtwo!" a deep and proud voice shouts. "You are not welcome here!"

Another plume of fire rains from the sky. Mewtwo uses his telekinesis to fly out of the way, carrying Mia along with him. He then places her in between the surrounding trees.

"What's going on?" Mia asks in fear.

"Mia, you wait here. I'll handle this," is all Mewtwo tells her. Then he is off, chasing after their attacker.

"Did you think I would not repay you for what you did to me?" the proud voice demands. "I will burn you to ashes!"

From the rainbow in the sky, a massive, multi-colored bird appears. A jagged scar cuts across its chest where no feathers grow.

"Ho-Oh!" Mewtwo calls out. "I'm not here to fight you!"

"Silence! You will burn!" Ho-Oh shouts back with rage.

Ho-Oh uses his Sacred Fire once again, engulfing Mewtwo with purging flames. Mewtwo feels his old instincts kick in and his lust for battle returns. He pushes back the flames with his psychic power and fires a Shadow Ball attack, hitting Ho-Oh square in the chest.

"Mewtwo!" Ho-Oh screams. "You will die!"

Mewtwo feels himself consumed by violent rage. He and Ho-Oh fight in the sky in a sea of divine fire. Both of them are caught up in the moment and once again, they find themselves in a fight to the death. Wind and flames dance around them as they battle, neither one getting a clear advantage. They attack each other viciously, just as they did in the war when Mewtwo fought alongside the humans…

As they lose themselves in the battle, they do not notice a third Ageless pokemon approaching them. It blocks out the sun with its wings and summons a gale.

"Enough!" the new pokemon commands.

The sudden change in atmosphere pulls Mewtwo and Ho-Oh out of their frenzy. This new pokemon glares at them, daring them to make a move.

"Lugia!" Ho-Oh says with his forceful voice. "What is the meaning of this?"

Lugia calms the gale, bringing back the sun.

"I should be asking the same of you, Ho-Oh." Lugia answers in a clear, but firm voice. "You know the Rules."

"The Rules should not apply to _him_!" Ho-Oh shouts, referring to Mewtwo. "_He _is not one of us!"

"You know as well as I that that is not true." Lugia says. "Leave peacefully, Ho-Oh. You know what happens if you break the Rules."

Ho-Oh looks as if he wants to continue arguing, but accepts that Lugia is right. He looks at Mewtwo one more time.

"You're lucky that Lugia arrived, otherwise, Rules or no Rules, I would have incinerated you into nothingness."

Ho-Oh flaps his wings and flies back into the rainbow, leaving Ecruteak behind.

"Now then, I apologize for Ho-Oh's behavior, but I would like to welcome you to our land." Lugia says peacefully.

Mewtwo's rage subsides and reason returns to him. "Thank you. And thank you for stopping that battle. I do not know what I would have done if it continued."

Down in the trees below, Mia comes out of hiding.

"Is it over?" she asks cautiously.

Mewtwo descends and rejoins her. "Yes, it is over. Luckily, no one was hurt."

"What was that all about?" she asks.

"Ho-Oh and I have a complicated history." Mewtwo tells her. "We fought once before and he never got over it."

Lugia then descends to join Mewtwo and Mia.

"Oh, a young pokemon. I am Lugia."

"Hello." Mia says. "I'm Mia."

"A pleasure to meet you, Mia." Lugia says with a slight bow. "Now, tell me. What brings you out here?"

"I need answers." Mewtwo responds. "There was a fire in the Ilex Forest and I am being blamed for it. I need to know who could have done it and why."

"Ah, yes. I heard about it. As soon as it happened, an announcement was made to us by the Creator. He declared that you must be executed for breaking the laws of the Ageless."

"But I was not the one who did it!" Mewtwo says almost in a shout.

"I believe you." Lugia says reassuringly. "And I know that a lot of the Ageless hold grudges against you. Many of them have reason to want to be rid of you."

Mia looks at Mewtwo sadly.

"Why do the other legendary pokemon hate you so much?"

"Because a long time ago, before your time, there was a war. The Ageless pokemon fought against the humans, and in that war, I helped the humans."

"You fought against the legendary pokemon?" Mia asks in shock. "But you're a legendary pokemon, too! Why would you fight against your own kind?"

"Because back then, I was a slave to the humans. With their technology, they locked me away and only used me in times of war. Eventually my captors died and I was set free, but the Ageless pokemon have not forgotten that at one time, I was their enemy."

Mewtwo remembers the days of the war with regret. He was used as a weapon for the humans. He was commanded to attack and kill innocent pokemon and he obeyed. Now, all he wants, all he _really _wants, is to atone. Maybe that is why he agreed to take Mia along. He looks at her and sees that faces of all those lives he took and he wants to be forgiven. And maybe one day, he shall be.


	6. Chapter 4

Mewtwo remembers the days of the war. His captors sealed him away in a Master Ball, the most advanced form of Pokeball, able to detain any pokemon without incident. While he was bound to it, Mewtwo was unable to disobey his captors and was used to fight against the rest of the Ageless. To this day, he regrets what he was made to do.

"Mewtwo, are you okay?" Mia asks, bringing him out of his memories.

He shakes his head, somehow hoping to forget the past. "Yes, I'm fine."

"It is a troubling topic for us all." Lugia says to Mia.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." she answers regretfully.

"It's all right." Mewtwo reassures her.

"Now then," Lugia announces, "you've come here for answers, haven't you?"

"Yes." Mewtwo tells him. "What can you tell us?"

"Unfortunately, I don't know much." Lugia answers sadly. "All I know is that the Creator sent the Ageless a message explaining that you broke our laws and that you must be executed."

"Then why doesn't he do it already?!" Mewtwo shouts angrily. "If your almighty Creator wants me dead, why doesn't he just strike me down?! Surely he's powerful enough to destroy me any time he wants!"

Lugia exhales, carefully choosing his words. "It's not that simple."

"What does that mean?" Mewtwo continues. "Isn't he the most powerful being in existence? This should be simple for him!"

"I'm not telling you, it doesn't work that way!" Lugia fires back, his patience wearing thin. "There are Rules about these kinds of things."

Mia notices something in Lugia's words.

"Wait," she says to the legendary bird, "you mentioned something about 'Rules' when Mewtwo and Ho-Oh fought. Does that have something to do with this?"

"Yes," Lugia answers, regaining his calm. "Mewtwo, you are young. There are some things that you do not know about because no one speaks of them anymore. But I will tell you the secret history of our world."

Lugia closes his eyes as his explanation begins.

"There are Rules in this world. Rules that only apply to the Ageless. They were written long ago, before time even began. Those that do not follow these Rules are punished for it."

"What are these 'Rules'?" Mewtwo asks.

"The first is this: an Ageless pokemon is not allowed to take the life of another Ageless pokemon. This is why our Creator, Arceus, cannot simply destroy you whenever he wishes. This is why he sent the golems after you to do his bidding. Even the Creator himself must obey these Rules, or suffer the consequences. And the second Rule is this: an Ageless pokemon must always fulfill his or her purpose in this world."

"'Always fulfill his purpose'?" Mewtwo repeats. "What does that mean?"

"It means that we as Ageless have a duty to this world and we must always be working toward it. For example, I am the keeper of the storms at sea. Ho-Oh's duty is to calm the storm and bring peace, symbolized by the rainbow. Together, we bring balance to this world. If either of us were to abandon our posts, we would be punished."

Mia, however, is confused by Lugia's explanation of the Rules.

"Wait, this doesn't add up." she interrupts. "You're saying that Ageless pokemon aren't allowed to kill each other, right? Then why is it that in Hoenn, there are stories of Kyogre and Groudon fighting to the death? Or that in Unova, Reshiram and Zekrom are constant enemies?"

Lugia is aware of what she means and explains, "Yes, you are right. Groudon, the land pokemon, and Kyogre, the sea pokemon, have been enemies since ancient times. And Reshiram, the dragon of truth, and Zekrom, the dragon of ideals, are polar opposites. But have you never noticed that in both of their stories, there is never a victor? In Hoenn, Rayquaza, the sky pokemon, always ends the battle between land and sea and in Unova, truth and ideals always fight to a standstill. That is because their purpose in this world is to fight, but never to win. They will continue their battle until the end of time."

Lugia's story brings a tear to Mia's eye.

"That's so sad. Their duty to this world is to constantly fight each other?"

"I'm afraid it is."

"Well, that's not fair! Who came up with these stupid Rules, anyway?!" she shouts.

"Now that's a good question," Mewtwo agrees. "Who did write these Rules?"

"Ancient and powerful beings that have existed since before the birth of our universe and will continue to exist long after we have turned to dust." Lugia answers cryptically. "You have heard of them. You may have even seen them."

"Who are they?" Mewtwo asks in a whisper.

"The symbol pokemon, Unown."


	7. Intermission: A story about the Unown

(Author's note: This chapter will be breaking from the usual narrative and focus on an old story remembered by Lugia and Ho-Oh.)

* * *

_Long ago, before the Brass and Tin Towers stood; before mankind discovered fire and the wheel; indeed before Man even walked the land and took his first breath, the Ageless pokemon were the masters of the earth. This is a tale that has been forgotten by the world, erased from the records of history, and the only ones still alive to remember it will never speak of it again…_

_When the earth was young, the Ageless toiled and labored, shaping the world around them so that one day life may blossom. It was an industrious time, with everyone playing their part. The continents were raised and pulled into place and the canyons in between were filled in by torrential rains to create the first oceans. The skies were expanded to make room for all the stars and a great heartbeat put the spheres into motion._

_As time passed, the labors decreased in intensity and the Ageless put their energy into the finer details. The earth was the taught to spin and the seasons were created. Forests and flower beds were born and at the same time, wind and thunderstorms ravaged the land. The first dreams were being crafted, as well as the first nightmares. In the land that will eventually be called Johto, three great birds held the harmony between sea and sky and land._

_The first great bird, named Lugia, was a solemn and gentle creature, but he wielded the power to create monstrous gales that roared over the seas. When Lugia spread his silver wings, the sun was blocked out and a shadow was cast on the earth, signaling the coming of a great storm. In these times, the sea storms raged for weeks, even months, without mercy. Eventually, the second great bird, named Ho-Oh, would fly through the storm, calming it with his multi-colored wings. A beautiful rainbow would trail behind him, parting the clouds and bringing back the golden sun._

_The third great bird, whose name has been forgotten, lived deep within a majestic mountain. This mountain sprouted from the depths of the ocean floor and reached high into the sky, working as a link between the domains of Lugia and Ho-Oh. It was a work of art, crafted from the finest jewels and precious metals. Every dawn when the sun was rising in the east, the entire mountain shone spectacularly, lighting the day with its brilliance. The great bird that lived on this mountain was equally as beautiful. She was covered in feathers that glimmered like gems and every time she flapped her mighty wings, a cloud of stardust trailed behind her. It was the duty of this great bird to emerge from her home inside the mountain and fly to the summit to alert the great bird of the sky that a storm was taking place. Only then would the storm be pacified._

_However, this great bird eventually grew tired of her task. She no longer wished to be bound to her mountain and longed to fly away and see the world. One day, when a terrible storm was taking place, the third great bird came out of her place in the crystal mountain and instead of flying toward the summit, as was her duty, she simply flew off toward the horizon, never once looking back. The storm continued to rage until it reached the mainland, ripping through the countryside and leaving permanent whirlpools in the sea._

_The third great bird flew west, chasing the setting sun, but she never reached it. Lugia and Ho-Oh chased after her, hoping to bring her back before any more damage was done, but it was far too late. A hole suddenly ripped open in the sky and the world grew silent. From that tear in the sky, a massive cloud of beings erupted, each one pitch black with a single all-seeing eye. These beings, called the Unown, were infinite in number. They were, and are, the keepers of the Rules and their Rules were broken on that day. The Unown surrounded the third great bird and with their bodies, they spelled out her true name and letter by letter, they erased it. The third great bird vanished screaming and her mountain crumbled and fell to the bottom of the sea. Her screams still echo in the nightmares of Lugia and Ho-Oh to this day…_


	8. Chapter 5

High above the world, past the sky and the stars and beyond the edge of the universe, Arceus, the Original One, watches over creation. From his domain inside the Hall of Origin, he can see everything all at once, from the greatest galaxies to the smallest particles. He sees how events are unfolding and he knows how it will all end. With everything in place, Arceus looks down at the world that he created and waits…

In the land that was once called Johto, Mewtwo and his companion, Mia, continue their travels. They said their good-byes to the legendary pokemon, Lugia, and have begun heading north, toward the land of Sinnoh where many Ageless pokemon reside.

"I've heard about Sinnoh before, but I've never been able to go. This is so exciting!" Mia exclaims.

"Are you sure you want to walk the entire way?" Mewtwo asks her. "It would be much faster for me to simply Teleport us there."

"No, I want to see the world!" Mia fires back. "I've lived all my life in the forest, I want to see more! It wouldn't be any fun if we just teleported everywhere."

"Mia, this is not some vacation. The Ageless are after me. Things can get dangerous travelling this way."

"Well, we heard from Lugia that they are not allowed to kill you, remember? And Celebi got rid of those three golems, so there isn't anyone left that can come after you."

"They do not have to kill me in order to punish me. There are things much worse than death."

Mia remains silent for a while before she speaks again.

"I'm sure that no matter what happens, you'll be able to handle it. And don't forget that I'm here with you!"

She smiles at him and runs ahead of him, laughing and playing along the way. Mewtwo cannot seem to get mad her. She is so playful and carefree. She almost seems to remind him of someone he once knew long ago…

The weeks go by and so far, nothing has happened to Mewtwo. He has not seen another Ageless since his encounter with Ho-Oh and Lugia, but all the while, he has not let his guard down. Danger could be anywhere. Eventually, Mewtwo and Mia reach the border of Sinnoh.

"We're here! We're here!" Mia shouts excitedly. "I can't believe we're finally here!"

She jumps up to Mewtwo and hugs him tightly.

"We made it!" she shouts again.

Mewtwo realizes that this is the first time that he has actually touched her. He never noticed how alone and distant he really felt until this moment. Now, he can actually feel warmth. He can feel the beginnings of happiness. _Is this what it feels like to have family?_

As they walk further inland, Mewtwo plans out the next part of their travels.

"We will speak to Uxie, the guardian of knowledge. Maybe she will know what really happened to the forest on that day."

"We're going to meet more legendary pokemon? Are you sure that it's a good idea?" Mia asks.

"If anyone has answers to my questions, it will be Uxie. I have to find her." Mewtwo says.

"Okay then." Mia agrees. "Just be careful."

That night, the two of them decide to rest in Eterna Forest. The light of the crescent moon shines over them.

"Get some sleep, Mia." Mewtwo tells her. "Tomorrow, we will go to meet Uxie."

He creates a barrier around the both of them to protect them through the night. Mia makes herself comfortable on a bed of leaves and Mewtwo sleeps in a crouched position, constantly alert.

As the night deepens, Mewtwo begins to dream. It is an old dream that he has had ever since he was created in a laboratory. In the dream, he sees another figure dancing in front of him. He cannot see her face, but he somehow, she feels very familiar. _Who are you?_ he calls out, but his voice is drowned out. The figure continues to whirl and jump playfully, but he cannot see who it is. He feels like he knows her, but cannot recall her name. It's almost as if he forgot her a long time ago. _Who are you?!_

Mewtwo wakes up in the middle of the night in a panic. The dream always bothers him. It takes him a second to remember where he is, but suddenly notices something wrong; Mia is gone.

"Mia? Mia! Where are you?" he shouts into the forest, scaring the pokemon that live there.

Immediately, Mia comes running back into view.

"I'm here, sorry, I had to potty and I didn't want to wake you." she says bashfully.

A wave of relief washes over Mewtwo. He had not realized how much he had grown to care for Mia. The thought of losing her is too much to bear.

"Are you okay?" she asks him.

"Yes, I'm fine." Mewtwo answers. "Just a bad dream."

"What did you dream about?"

"It's just an old dream. I've been it having since I was created."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I know it should not bother me, but I cannot let it go. In my dream, I am trapped in the dark and I see someone there with me. She seems so happy out in the light, just dancing and playing. I want to go and join her, but I can't. In my dream, she seems so familiar, but I cannot remember her name. She almost feels like family."

Mia decides to inquire further. "Do you have family?" she asks.

Mewtwo thinks about it for a moment.

"No, I have nobody. I was created by humanity. The closest I've ever had to parents were those scientists that made me inside a test tube, and now they're all dead."

Mewtwo looks at Mia and sees sorrow in her eyes.

"Do not worry about me; that was ages ago. Go back to sleep."

"Okay," she says sadly.

Nothing else is said between them for the night. Mia goes back to her makeshift bed and Mewtwo stands awake, watching the forest. Something is bothering him. _How did she leave my barrier without my noticing? She shouldn't have been able to leave._

He decides to put it out of his mind for the moment and get some rest. Meanwhile, in a place not too far away, a new creature has appeared and it has set its eyes on Mewtwo and will not rest until his enemy is dead.


	9. Chapter 6

Day breaks over the Eterna Forest, bringing with it the sounds and scents of life. Lush greenery surrounds Mewtwo and Mia and sweet aromas from the blooming flowers waft through the air. Mewtwo opens his eyes and sees the life of the Eterna Forest. He wishes for the peace to never end.

"Good morning, Mewtwo." Mia says, as she stretches and yawns. The sight brings a smile to Mewtwo's face.

"Good morning, Mia."

She smiles back at him.

"You know, you've changed these past few weeks." She tells him.

"I have? How so?"

"I don't know. It's a subtle change." She thinks about how to phrase her thoughts. "Hmm, I can't quite explain it, but you seem calmer; more at peace. Do you feel that way?"

"I've never thought about it, but I suppose I am."

She smiles at him one more time then sets off.

"Well, don't we have things to do today? Let's go!"

She leads the way out of the forest and Mewtwo follows suit. _Perhaps this is what happiness is._

As soon as they leave the boundary of the trees, Mewtwo instantly feels something wrong.

"Mia, stop!" he almost shouts, causing her to jump.

"What's wrong?"

"We're being watched_. _Someone has found us."

Before he can sense anything happening, a flash of red tentacles whips Mewtwo with crushing force, sending him flying backward.

"Mewtwo!" Mia screams with shock.

Their attacker descends from the sky slowly. It stares at them with cold, hard eyes. Mewtwo stands up and recovers from the attack, but he feels a slight bit of fear as he sees what it is.

Inside the Hall of Origin, Arceus continues to watch over the world. He ponders the world that he created. He contemplates the life that thrives in that world. A rage builds inside of him. Living in his world are creatures that were never supposed to exist. They are abominations; they are imperfections in his perfect world. _They must be destroyed!_ Arceus remembers the final days of the war against the humans. They were down to their last trump card; a pokemon that they created by accident by exposing a space-borne virus to a laser. This pokemon that they called Deoxys was supremely powerful, stronger than most of the Ageless. Arceus himself had to battle this creature and ultimately, Deoxys was destroyed. At least, that is what the rest of the world was led to believe…

Outside the Eterna Forest, Mewtwo and Mia look up and see the form of a new enemy. Deoxys, the DNA pokemon, returns their stare. It has come for Mewtwo.

Mewtwo has heard of Deoxys; stories from the Ageless and normal pokemon alike. He knows that Deoxys is strong and he knows that this time, there is no running away.

"Mia, go hide." Mewtwo tells his companion as calmly as he can.

"What is that thing?" Mia asks in fear.

"It is called Deoxys and it is here for me."

"Is it another Ageless pokemon?"

"No. Deoxys was an accident, created by humans, but its power matches that of the Ageless. I thought that Deoxys was destroyed by Arceus long ago, but it seems I was mistaken."

Mewtwo does not take his eyes off of Deoxys for even a split second. He cannot believe that the Ageless would resort to sending Deoxys after him. This time, they've gone too far.

"Hide, Mia! Quickly!" Mewtwo orders her.

In an instant, Mewtwo leaps forward attacking Deoxys with his Psychic power, but it seems that Deoxys is faster, changing into its Defense Forme and shrugging off the assault.

_What?!_

The virus pokemon morphs into its Attack Forme and fires off its strongest technique, Psycho Boost. The mass of psychic energy crashes into Mewtwo and slams him into the ground. He has never felt pain such as this before.

_This is not like anything I have ever faced before. Deoxys is far stronger than I am. _

Mewtwo stands again, but this time his body takes longer to recover. Deoxys continues staring down at his enemy from its elevated position. It has returned to its Normal Forme.

"So you really mean to kill me?" Mewtwo asks the virus pokemon. "Tell me, who sent you?"

Deoxys does not respond. Instead, it quickly shifts into its Speed Forme and rams into Mewtwo's body with Extreme Speed. The impact instantly knocks the wind out of Mewtwo's lungs and sends him crashing back into the forest, leveling several trees along the way. Mia comes running to his side.

"Mewtwo, are you okay?!" she says in a panic.

"I'll be fine, Mia. Now quickly get away from here! This place is dangerous!" Mewtwo orders her.

Before he can even stand this time, Deoxys shifts into its Attack Forme and uses its tentacles to grab Mewtwo by the throat. The virus pokemon picks Mewtwo off the floor and begins to choke the life out of him. Mewtwo's battle instincts kick in and he quickly summons a barrier that pushes Deoxys back, freeing Mewtwo from its grip. With room to move, Mewtwo launches a counterattack, firing an Aura Sphere straight at the virus, but once again, Deoxys reacts by switching to its Defense Forme.

_I won't be able to win this way. Deoxys keeps switching forms to adapt to my strategies._

Deoxys goes into its Speed Forme and crashes into Mewtwo's barrier. The barrier cracks, but holds. Deoxys continues ramming the barrier in order to break it while Mewtwo quickly tries to think of a new strategy.

_I must strike as soon as it gets close. I will only get one chance at this._

As Deoxys returns for another assault, Mewtwo purposely lowers his barrier, allowing Deoxys to get close. Once it is within range, Mewtwo creates a blade of psychic energy and uses his Psycho Cut attack. Deoxys cannot avoid the attack so it shifts the position of its body to protect its central core, the source of its power, but in the process it loses its left arm to Mewtwo's Psycho Cut.

"I've got you now!" Mewtwo shouts.

He charges in for a finishing blow, but much to his horror, Deoxys quickly regenerates its damaged body and slams Mewtwo into the ground with its powerful tentacles. Deoxys stares at Mewtwo with its emotionless eyes. All it knows is destruction and right now, Mewtwo is its target.

"This is the way it's going to be?" Mewtwo says weakly. "So be it. Come at me with everything you've got."

Deoxys rises to Mewtwo's challenge and gathers energy for its most destructive Psycho Boost. It shifts into its Attack Forme to makes its final assault all the more deadly. The two fighters look at each other one more time before Deoxys fires off its attack. Mewtwo readies himself, but before the attack makes contact, Mia jumps in the way.

"Mia! Get out of the way!" Mewtwo screams at her. He cannot believe what happens next.

A flash of light followed by an earth-shattering shockwave.

Mia's lifeless body is flung through the air like a wayward leaf caught in a windstorm. Time seems to slow down as Mewtwo looks up at Deoxys. He gathers the remains of his psychic energy and leaps forward in a wrath-filled frenzy. In its last moments, the alien pokemon, Deoxys, gives off a sharp and piercing cry. It does not even have time to feel the pain as Mewtwo rips it apart from the inside out.

Arceus finishes observing the battle between Mewtwo and Deoxys. The whole affair has left it feeling uneasy. The Creator leaves the Hall to ponder the future course of the world.

Mewtwo gasps for breath as he has exhausted most of his power to destroy Deoxys, however, he fights the pain in his body and walks over to Mia.

"Mia! No!"

He finds her lying face down in the dirt. As gently and as tenderly as he can, he turns her around so that he can see her face.

"Mia. Please, wake up." he begs.

Mewtwo looks at her, expecting some kind of response; a slight cough; a weak shiver; anything. He continues to wait, but nothing happens. He knows that she is gone.

"Mia. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

He feels his heart breaking. He wants to cry, but knows that he is physically unable to. _He was created to fight, not to mourn._

"Mia did nothing wrong. She did nothing to deserve this. So then, why? Why did she have to die? WHY DID SHE HAVE TO DIE?!"

Mewtwo curses the Ageless. Their rules and their laws did this. He is their target, not Mia. Mia had nothing to do with this, and yet she was the one to lose her life.

Mewtwo picks up her lifeless body and carries her into the Eterna Forest. He can feel the warmth leaving her body. With his power returning, he excavates a patch of dirt and gently places her inside.

"Mia, thank you for everything."

He wants to say more, but cannot stand the thought of staying any longer. He pushes the pain away and focuses his rage at the Ageless. _They are going to pay for this._

He shuts his eyes and in a flash of light, he vanishes from the Eterna Forest and teleports to Lake Acuity in the northern region of Sinnoh and waiting at the edge of the lake is the guardian of knowledge, Uxie.


	10. Chapter 7

_(Author's note: Okay, a lot of things happening in this chapter, so I hope I don't make your brains explode, lol. Anyways, I hope you like it! Let me know what you think so far! Thanks for reading!)_

* * *

Since the beginning of time, Uxie has known all there is to know. Every secret and every mystery; every thought and every idea that has ever been conceived, Uxie knows. Since the beginning of time, Uxie has a guarded a secret and now the time has come for that secret to come to light.

Mewtwo arrives at Lake Acuity, a cold and lonely region. A light snow falls over the frozen lake. Uxie waits for Mewtwo by the lake.

"Mewtwo, we've been expecting you." she says solemnly. "Welcome to Lake Acuity."

"Do not waste my time with your pleasantries, Uxie. I demand answers and you're going to provide them!" he shouts.

Mewtwo is filled with anger. He wants to know who is behind everything and wants to put a stop to it.

"You will have your answers shortly, Mewtwo. But before that, we have been tasked with telling you a story." Uxie speaks calmly.

"I have no time for this!"

He shouts again and Uxie answers with all the seriousness in the world.

"As things are, there is no time for anything anymore."

"What does that mean?"

"You will learn. Follow us."

Uxie uses her telekinesis and flies into the cavern in the center of the lake and Mewtwo follows. His patience is wearing extremely thin. Once inside, Uxie takes her place in the center of the cave. From out of the shadows, two more figures appear on either side of Uxie. They are the other lake guardians; Mesprit, the guardian of emotion and Azelf, the guardian of willpower.

"What now?" Mewtwo demands.

"Now you will hear our story, Mewtwo." The three lake guardians answer together. "You will hear the story of how the world came to be."

Before Mewtwo can protest, the entire cave goes pitch black. After a moment, a bright shining orb is seen in the center of the space. The orb is large, about the size of a house.

"What is this?" Mewtwo asks, his anger momentarily replaced by confusion.

"This is a psychic vision." The lake guardians answer together. "This is how the world began. The shining orb that you see before you is the egg of the Original One. Now watch."

Mewtwo continues looking at the orb and it begins to transform itself into a familiar shape. Arceus, the Original One, emerges from the shining orb and stands alone in the center of nothingness.

_I'm witnessing the creation of the universe, _Mewtwo realizes.

Arceus, the Original One becomes Arceus, the Creator. With his almighty power, he shapes two great dragons as his first creations; Dialga, the dragon of time and Palkia the dragon of space. With their breath and heartbeat, Dialga and Palkia give form and motion to the universe.

Next, Arceus creates three new beings; Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf. These three new creatures create spirit and purpose in the universe. With his task completed, Arceus falls into a deep sleep only to awaken when he is needed again.

"I know the story of creation!" Mewtwo interrupts. "Everyone does! Arceus created time and space first then he created knowledge, emotion and willpower. What was the point in showing me all of this?"

"Because there is something in the story of creation that no one knows because it is a secret." The guardians answer. "Look closely into the shadows. You will find the secret there."

Mewtwo looks back into the psychic vision and focuses on the shadows. At first he sees nothing, but then he notices a large figure standing next to Dialga and Palkia. It is a monstrous entity.

"What is that thing?!" Mewtwo asks in shock.

"It is creation's greatest secret." They respond ominously. "Arceus, the Creator, did not create two dragons on the first day. He created three! The creature in the shadows is the third dragon, Giratina!"

"Giratina?" Mewtwo repeats. "Why have I not heard of it?"

"Because it does not exist in this world. It was locked away on the first day of creation."

"Locked away? Why?"

"Giratina was too violent. It was created to balance out the universe and so its purpose is to destroy all of existence. It is the dragon of anti-matter."

"And what is the purpose of telling me this? You still haven't answered that question."

"We are getting to that." The guardians tell him patiently. "As you know, Ageless are not allowed to destroy other Ageless. Arceus was not allowed to un-create Giratina so he constructed a prison to contain it. This prison could not be constructed from normal matter as Giratina would simply break free so with his great wisdom, Arceus created a special prison with a time seal. As long as time flowed, the prison would hold Giratina at bay and the universe would be kept safe from its wrath."

The guardians shift uncomfortably, not knowing quite how to explain the next part of their story.

"However, recently, something has happened." They say in unison.

"What do you mean?" Mewtwo asks.

The guardians say nothing, but the room begins to change again, showing Mewtwo a different psychic vision. This time, they are in a dying forest surrounded by death and decay. In the center of the forest lies the protector, Celebi.

"Celebi!" Mewtwo cries out. He reaches out to her, but cannot touch her.

"Remember, Mewtwo, this is only a vision." The guardians tell him. "You are still inside the cave at Lake Acuity."

"Can she see me?" he asks.

"Yes. The vision extends both ways." They answer.

"Celebi. Are you alright?" Mewtwo asks the fallen pokemon.

"Mewtwo? How are you here?" Celebi says weakly.

"You are seeing a vision. I'm a thousand miles away." Mewtwo responds gently. "What happened to you?"

"Time." she says in a whisper. "Time is dying."

"What do you mean, 'time is dying'?"

"My power comes from the heart of Dialga, the dragon of time." she begins. "But something has happened. Dialga…Dialga has been killed. And with Dialga gone, my life will soon extinguish."

Mewtwo feels the weight of her words strike deep into him. _Dialga is dead. Time is dying._

Mewtwo turns to the lake guardians. He finally understands why they told him the story of creation.

_We have arrived at the end of time._

"Mewtwo, you must be careful." Celebi says with her final breath. "The dragon…the dragon is coming to destroy…everything…"

Celebi speaks her last words and dies in her forest. The vision ends and Mewtwo finds himself once again inside the dark cavern.

"You told me your story." Mewtwo says quietly. "Now what?"

"Now you have a choice." Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf answer.

"If you wish it, I can remove all emotion from your heart so that you never hurt again." Mesprit says to him.

"If you wish it, I can rob you of your willpower so that you die peacefully and silently." Azelf says to him.

"If you wish it, I can grant you knowledge so that secrets no longer burden you." Uxie says to him. "Now make your choice."

Mewtwo chooses immediately. He knows what he wants. It is what he has always wanted.

"I choose knowledge. Tell me what happened to me."

"Very well. Mewtwo, look into my eyes." Uxie tells him.

Both pokemon approach one another. It is said that looking into the eyes of Uxie can steal of all of one's memories. It seems that the process also works in reverse. Uxie opens her eyes and shows Mewtwo all of the secrets of creation.

"Now go. The truth awaits." Uxie tells Mewtwo.

Mewtwo feels strange. All of the knowledge of existence now lies inside his head, but there is still something he does not understand. _Why am I so alone?_

However, he knows the one place where he can find his final answer. Mewtwo teleports to the top of Mt. Coronet, at the summit of the spear pillar. It was from here that Arceus shaped the world. And it is here that he will find his answer. He approaches a broken altar at the center of the summit. Someone is already waiting for him there.

"Hello, Mewtwo." The waiting figure calls out.

Mewtwo recognizes her. He feels himself overcome with a mix of emotions. _I thought you were gone._

Mia, the young Meowth from the Ilex Forest, waits for Mewtwo at the top of Mt. Coronet.

"But, how? I thought you were dead." He says with a voice full of relief and confusion and anger.

"Mewtwo." Mia says to him. "I never wanted to do this. But you left me no choice."

Mia's body begins to shine brightly as she transforms into another pokemon. Her body begins to levitate until she meets Mewtwo eye to eye. Instantly, all the memories rush back, like a torrent of pain and grief. Mia has transformed into her true form, Mew, the ancestor of all pokemon.

"Mother?" is all Mewtwo can say.

"Yes, my son. It is me. And the time has finally come for you to die."


End file.
